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Kearsley’s robotics team, the Hybrid Hornets, won its district event. The event was held Thursday, Feb. 28, through Saturday, March 2, at Kettering University.

The team ranked 25th out of 40 in the qualifying matches, but with good defense it was able to come back and win in the final after being selected for the first-seed alliance with teams R.U.S.H. and S.P.E.E.D.

The alliance’s victory was the first playoff title for the Hybrid Hornets, who came close to winning competitions in 2016 and 2017 but were eliminated in the final rounds of the events.

The Hybrid Hornets earned a total of 47 points toward going to the Michigan State Championship at Saginaw Valley State University. The majority of the points were from 30 playoff points and 11 qualifying points.

IMAGE / Courtesy of Hybrid HornetsThe Hybrid Hornets’ robot, “Lt. Barry Buzz,” ascends to the second HAB level during a semifinal match on Saturday, March 2.

The team won six games in the qualifiers and were 6-1 in the playoffs. Throughout the entire tournament, the team earned a record of 12-7 in match play.

Vincent Zamora, junior, is proud of how the Hybrid Hornets worked together in order to win the event.

“Our team had to spend a lot of time and work hard,” Zamora said. “We also had strong leadership.”

In addition to winning the district event, the Hybrid Hornets also won the Team Spirit Award, which is sponsored by the FCA Foundation.

During the quarterfinals, the team won one match with a score of 81-55.

The team was given a yellow card for damaging an opponents robot when its robot, “Lt. Barry Buzz,” drove over top of another robot and ripped off the opponent’s camera.

IMAGE / Connor EaregoodMembers of the Hybrid Hornets robotics team received medals for winning the Kettering Week One playoffs on Saturday, March 2.

Junior Cole Zemore, scouting captain, worked to find teams that would be good to ally with in the playoffs.

“The things we look for in alliance members changes from year to year,” Zemore said. “If the scouting is bad, it could end up with us not creating an alliance that could win the competition.”

The Hybrid Hornets’ next district event is from Thursday, March 28, through Saturday, March 30, at Alpena High School.

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